Adjustable wiper blade assembly for a roller fountain dampener



Apnl 4, 1967 F. GENTILE 3,312,166

7 ADJUSTABLE WIPER BLADE ASSEMBLY FOR A ROLLER FOUNTAIN DAMPENER Filed June 23, 1966 FIG. I

INVENTOR.

Frank Genrile ATTORNEY. V

United States Patent 3,312,166 ADJUSTABLE WIPER BLADE ASSEMBLY FOR A ROLLER FOUNTAIN DAMPENER Frank Gentile, 1136 Ashley Drive, Valley Stream, N.Y. 11580 Filed June 23, 1966, Ser. No. 559,892 1 Claim. (Cl. 101148) This invention relates to a dampening device for printing presses, and more particularly concerns precision controlled dampening means for offset, lithographic and planographic printing presses.

An object of this invention is to provide for use with printing presses in which moistening liquid is applied to the printing surface, improved means for precisely controlling the amount of moistening liquid transferred to the printing surface by a' fountain roller of the press.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dampening device attachable to printing presses having a fountain roller, and including stop means for precisely controlling the amount of moistening liquid transferred at various zones along the length of the fountain roller.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described adapted to precisely control the amount of moistening liquid applied to various portions of a given printing surface so as to substantially improve the quality of the ink imprints produced by such printing surface.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described, which is ofsimple construction, economical to manufacture, is .readily attached to various forms of offset, lithographic or planographic printing presses, and lends itself to simple operation and control by the pressman.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing the dampening device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view thereof.

As shown in the drawing designates the usual water fountain as the same is found in offset or lithographic presses, with a fountain roller 11 rotatably mounted in fountain 10 by a shaft 12. It is understood that moistening fluid is transferred to the usual printing cylinder, not shown, from the fountain roller 11, by way of intermediately disposed dampening rollers, vibration roller, and ductor roller, not shown, all in a manner well known in the art.

It is highly desirable that the amount of moistening liquid transferred to the printing cylinder by way of fountain roller 11 be regulated throughout the length of roller 11, and further, that such regulation be applicable independently to various laterally related zones along the length of roller 11, to thereby increase the effectiveness of the printing operation in accordance with the variations in ink transfer dictated by the particular printing cylinder.

Accordingly, there is provided stop means engageable with the fountain roller 11, which lends itself to precise regulation. Such stop means comprises a plurality 0; similar wiper assemblies generally indicated at 13 arranged in side by side relation to contact successive Zones of roller 11 along the length thereof. The wiper assemblies 13 are mounted in a rigid bar generally indicated at 14, which extends parallel to roller 11.

Mounting bar 14 is of a l shaped cross section, comprising an uppermost wide bar portion 15 and a lowermost narrowbar portion 16 in parallel relation to bar portion 15 and forming a narrow groove 17 therebetween, which groove extends the length of bar 14.

3,312,166 Patented Apr. 4, 1967 Bar 14 is mounted in proper relation to roller 11 by way of a shaft 18 forming a part of the printing press with which the roller 11 is associated. A pair of arms 19 having part circular cutouts 20 on the side edges thereof adjacent one end thereof, are attached to shaft 18 by U shaped bolts 21; the parallel arm portions 22 of bolts 21 passing through bores 23 in arms 19 and nuts 24 thereon locking arms 19 to shaft 18 at opposite ends thereof.

Mounting brackets are secured to the opposite ends of bar 14, in the form of small plates 25 secured to the underside of bar portion 15 by screws 26. Each of the plates 25 is provided with a pin 27 projecting from the side thereof; said pins 27 being receivable in openings 28 at the upper ends of arms 19. Set screws 29 engageable with pins 27 lock the mounting bar 14 in a selected angular position relative to roller 11.

Each of the wiper assemblies 13 comprises a stop member in the form of a flat spring steel member 30 with a stop element in the form of a rubber wiper element 31 secured to the underside thereof, the wiper element 31 having a forward edge 32 projecting beyond the forward edge 33 of member 30, for engagement with roller 11.

Spring member 30 has a rear edge portion 34 receivable in groove 17 of mounting bar 14 and held between bar portions 15, 16. An intermediate portion 35 of member 30 underlies the undersurface portion 36 of bar portion 15. Means is provided for deflecting the intermediate portion 35 of member 30 downwardly about the forward edge 37 of bar portion 16. To this end, a series of knurl headed tension screws 38 are threaded into threaded openings 39 in bar portion 15 adjacent the outer edge 40 of said bar portion 15. Each of screws 38 is adapted to bear against a corresponding spring member 30, whereby deflection of said member 30 downwardly brings edge 32 of wiper element 31 into contact with circumferential portions of roller 11. Since the contact pressure of wiper element edge 32 with respect to roller 11 may be precisely regulated by way of screws 38; the quantity of moistening fluid transferred by roller 11 to the printing cylinder, not shown, is precisely determined, with variations along the length of roller 11 being attained by appropriate adjustment of the selected screws 38.

A fine wire 41 tautly stretched and engaging the threaded portions of screws 38, retains said screws in their set positions; wire 41 being anchored at the opposite ends thereof in posts 42 fixed at the opposite ends of bar portion 15.

It will be apparent that mounting bar 14 being of a rigid character, the Wiper assemblies 13 will at all times maintain their precisely regulated set positions so as to accurately control the transfer of moistening fluid by way of roller 11. Further, the groove 17 in bar 14 allows for quick and easy mounting of the wiper assemblies 13 thereon and removal therefrom for replacement. Assemblies 13 are retained against inadvertent separation from bar 14, by cotter pins 43 disposed in registering openings in bar portions 15, 16 as well as in spring member portion 34.

The mounting of bar 14 on arms 19 not only facilitates adjustment of the position of bar 14, but also permits swinging movement to positions allowing easy removal of water fountain 10 and roller 11.

As various changes might be made in the disclosed embodiment of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that all matter herein shown or described, shall be deemed illustrative and not by way of limitation, except as set forth in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a printing press having an elongated water fountain roller for transferring dampening fluid to a printing surface, stop means for selectively regulating the amount of dampening fluid retained on said roller in various laterally related zones along the length of said roller, said stop means comprising an elongated rigid mounting bar extending parallel to said roller, and a plurality of stop members mounted on said bar in laterally adjacent relation and extending toward said roller, each stop member comprising a thin fiat spring member and a stop element on one end portion of said spring member for making contact With a circumferential portion of said roller of limited axial extent, said mounting bar being formed with longitudinally extending groove means on one edge thereof for receiving therein the other end portions of said spring members, said mounting bar including a first bar portion at said groove means having a longitudinally extending fulcrum edge and a second bar portion at said groove means having a longitudinally extending marginal edge portion projecting beyond the fulcurm edge of said first bar portion, each of said spring members including an inner portion received and anchored within the groove means of said mounting bar, an intermediate portion extending beyond the fulcrum edge of 20 said first bar portion and disposed in opposed relation to the underside of the marginal edge portion of said second bar portion, and an outer portion extending beyond the outer edge of the marginal edge portion of said second bar portion, said stop element being secured to said outer portion of said spring member; and adjustable means on said second bar portion for engaging the intermediate portion of the respective spring members for adjustably varying the deflection of said intermediate portions of said spring members about the fulcrum edge of the first ber portion to vary the contact pressure of the respective stop elements relative to said roller, wherein said spring members are slidably mounted in the groove means of said mounting bar, and means on said mounting bar for retaining each of said spring members against removal from the groove means of said mounting bar, said retaining means comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of aligned openings in said first and second bar portions, an opening in the inner portion of each spring member for registration with a pair of said aligned openings When said spring member is received in the groove means of said mounting bar, and a locking pin for each pair of aligned openings in said first and second bar portions and the opening in the spring member in registry With a pair of said aligned openings.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 176,193 4/1876 Rhell. 1,566,358 12/1925 White. 1,862,744 6/1932 Fankboner 101-365 2,140,950 12/1938 Blackley 101365 2,161,943 6/1939 Baue l01365 2,329,277 9/ 1943 Lodding. 2,359,640 10/ 1944 Harley l01365 2,497,648 2/ 1950 Worthington 101365 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primrwy Examiner.

I. R. FISHER, Assistant Examiner. 

